Disguise
by LxZrulez
Summary: My contest entry for Lady of Hyrule's contest. Onshot, LinkxZelda.


**Hi! As I said in the summary, this is my entry for Lady of Hyrule's "Zelink" contest". Now... disclaimer? SHEIK!**

**Sheik: LxZrulez does not own Legend of Zelda or Nintendo, otherwise she would be stalked relentlessly by a bunch of fans.**

**... thanks? Anyways, please enjoy!**

Zelda sighed, resting her head on her knees. With one hand she tugged on the long golden braid that hung over her shoulder, her fingers twisting around the rough cloth that was tied around it. Her other hand pulled her cowl farther up her face, and once again she sighed. She lifted her head to look morosely around her. The clearing was quiet, peaceful, and the exact environment the Princess needed right now. Needed but not wanted.

She didn't need quiet, or peace for that matter. She could be attacked by a legion of bokolins for all she cared. At least then _he_ would come.

There she was again. Thinking about him. She continued her inner struggle, one part of her desperate to see him, the other part resolute to resisting the temptation. She curled up in a ball, fighting against herself, her fingers clawing at the sides of her face.

_Go find him._

_Don't._

_Look for him._

_DON'T. _

She wanted so badly to see him. But she resisted. She couldn't see him. She was sure of that.

"What am I doing?" she wondered aloud to herself. Instead on continuing the little civil war within herself, she focused on calming down. Slowly her control returned as the morning sunlight crept into the peaceful clearing, the golden light glinting dully on the Sacred Grove's Guardian's axe-like weapons. Zelda's hand stroked the rough wooden surface of the tree stump she sat on, her golden bangs falling into her eyes as she bent forward. She chuckled quietly to herself.

"It doesn't matter if you chase after him or not," she laughed sadly as she traced random designs on the slowly lightening forest floor. "I'm sure Ilia's got him now."

It was probable. Ilia was beautiful, even when dressed in simple ranch clothing. She had large emerald green eyes, and soft dirty blond hair that curled to one side. Zelda knew she couldn't compete with her. Zelda might have been a Princess, but she knew she could never compare to Link's lovely childhood friend. Zelda saw herself as a plain little girl with long golden hair and blue eyes. Why would Link choose her over Ilia?

Ah. There. She was thinking about him _again_. Zelda laughed ruefully to herself, shaking her head. And yet she couldn't help it.

"Mornin', Sheik." Sheik (Zelda) turned around at the sound of footsteps behind her. Walking across the now sunlit clearing was a boy with messy brownish-blond hair and brilliant blue eyes. He wore a well worn green tunic, a bronze chain-mail peeking out from underneath the Hero's garment. He wore brown boots on his feet, and underneath the chain-mail and tunic was a white shirt. He wore soft beige pants and a baldric strapped across his well muscled chest. Link.

"Oh... morning, Hero," she said, touching her face to make ensure that her cowl was still in place. She wore the feature-concealing mask for a reason... Link didn't know who she was. To him, she was a Sheikah, who came to visit the quiet village of Ordon with Auru, who was visiting Rusl. Nobody (with the exception of Auru) knew that she was Princess Zelda. When she heard that Auru was coming to Ordon to visit his old friend, she requested that she tagged along. She told Auru that she wanted time away from the politics... her real reason was that she wanted to see the young green-clad hero. Most of the other villagers saw her as a quiet mysterious person with uncanny precision and skill in battle (Auru exaggerated when he described her fighting skills, or so Zelda thought). She pulled her hair up so that it covered the the upper half of her face, and the cowl covered her mouth. All that could really be seen of the young 'Sheikah's' face was her eyes, which were a brilliant red. Zelda started. She's let her guard down, and let her eyes resume their former color of cerulean blue. She glanced up worriedly, wondering whether Link had noticed the change in her appearance. But his smile was easy, no hint of noticing anything wrong with her.

"Why'd you come here so early in the morning?" she asked, moving slightly so that there was space on the stump next to her. Link plopped down next to her.

"Ah... well, I figured if I got up early enough and hid Epona, Ilia wouldn't steal her." He shook his head. "I can't believe I was wrong! When I went to get her at the stables, she was gone. So I was running around Ordon looking for her. Then I decided that Ilia would return her to me- she better- and I figured I could come talk to you."

"And how'd you know I was here?"

"Easy," he said, his cocky smile spreading across his face. "I just followed your scent." He tapped the side of his head. "I can find anyone now."

"Just don't become a stalker," Sheik/Zelda said, laughing. Link grimaced like he had just swallowed something sour.

"I don't need to become a stalker... every time I set foot in Castle Town there are enough of them."

"Stalking you, I assume?"

"Yeah," Link grumbled. "Some girls just don't know what 'no' means." Sheik laughed.

"I feel sorry for you, Hero," she sympathized, still chuckling.

"Why do you always call me 'Hero'?" he inquired. He grinned at her, his messy hair falling into his eyes.

"Because you are one. You're the Hero of Hyrule, the one who banished Ganondorf into ete-"

"No, no," Link interrupted, clamping his hand over her mouth. "I mean, who cares if I'm a hero? Actually, why do you care?"

"Because it's tr-" Sheik (Zelda) started, but Link grunted impatiently, his hand slamming her mouth shut once more.

"Don't call me 'Hero'," he insisted, his blue eyes drilling into hers. "We're friends. So you call me Link."

"All right..." Sheik began. Link grinned once more. "...Hero." Immediately Link's smile faded and he glared silently at the cowled girl beside him. Sheik smirked behind her mask. Suddenly the scowl on his face was gone, replaced with a mischievous smirk once more.

"You. WILL. Call. Me. Link," he growled playfully as he reached forward and snagged her wrists in his hands. He gathered both pf her hands in one of his, the other gripping her chin so that she looked up at him. "Understand?"

The Princess in disguise looked up at him mutely. He leaned closer so that his nose almost touched hers. "Well?" he prompted.

"Nah," Sheik/Zelda said, rolling her eyes. Link raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, really?" he purred as he pinned her onto the stump. After a moment he frowned, his mouth forming a line of mock solemnity. "I'm serious. Why can't you say my name? Is it too hard for you to pronounce? Or is it because it's profanity to you?" He leaned down, his eyes large. "Well? Why not?"

Sheik instinctively stuck her tongue out, which wasn't a good move because her mouth was covered with the cowl. She gagged as her tongue made contact with the cloth, and Link looked at her curiously.

"What's wrong, Sheik?" he asked. "Is the poor little hero annoying you?"

She glared silently at him. She was surprised that he didn't flinch back. She was often used to people shying away from her once she cast her dangerous glower on them... especially if she was in her Sheikah form. Yet this hero merely grinned at her. Was she losing her touch?

"You look plenty scary, Sheik," Link laughed, "but I'm used to it." Sheik sighed. So she didn't lose her touch... it was just this hero was used to evil death glares that were meant to frighten you to death. Probably from staring down Ganondorf.

"Pfft," she grumbled, crossing her arms (or at least tried to), but Link smirked and tightened his hold on her wrists. "No need to brag." Link laughed. She raised her eyebrow.

"Sorry," he said. "I just have a very large ego."

"Well, would you like me to deflate it?" she asked, her face deceptively smooth. "I could always stab a dagger through you... that's one of the most effective ways." Most people wouldn't have known that she was kidding, what with her dangerous look and all. But Link seemed to know.

"Nah, don't want your dagger through my head, thanks. Besides, why waste a perfectly good dagger on me? I'm sure there are more worthwhile opponents," he said cheekily. Sheik noticed that his hold on her wrists had loosened, and she took the best of this opportunity. In a moment she was up in a tree, Link staring around dumbfounded.

"Sheik?" he called, still glancing around. She crouched on the brunch, coiling her body as she prepared to spring. And then she leaped, crashing into him as they toppled onto the forest floor. Link gasped at the unexpected attack, but still shielded Sheik's body as they hit the ground. He looked at her, his eyes sparkling.

"How'd you learn to do that?" he asked, grinning.

"The monkeys," she said, faking seriousness. Link raised his eyebrows.

"Really? Oh... never mind," he muttered as Sheik fell over laughing. "Little twit..."

After a few minutes (or hours) Sheik managed to compose herself, and she got up unsteadily. Link raised his eyebrows coolly at her, and she began laughing once more.

"What is it this time?" Link grumbled as he watched the deceptively serious-looking warrior fall over in spasms of giggles.

"You-shoulda-seen-your-face-" she gasped out. Link got up, stalking toward the entrance of the clearing.

"Well, if you're just gonna laugh all day, I'm leaving," he called over his shoulder. But once he turned around, where Sheik couldn't see him, he smiled.

Sheik's face fell as she watched him walk away from her.

"Wait!" she called after him. "I'll stop laughing... promise!"

Link slowed his pace, much to Sheik's relief. She ran behind him, catching his arm. But e whirled around, his arms locking around her. He held her there, chuckling to himself as she struggled.

"Who's laughing now?" he teased. Sheik glared at him, but it had no effect whatsoever (not that she was really surprised) She strained against his hold but his grip was like iron. After a few moments of futile struggling she stopped.

"You win," she sighed in defeat. She waited until she felt his hold loosen before pushing back. What she hadn't expected was that Link had prepared for when she would do that, and they both fell onto the floor once more, Zelda safely caged in Link's arms. He grinned at her. She glared back, although she could feel her face reddening. It's hard trying to give the guy you like a death glare, Sheik noticed. But she still tried, although she failed miserably.

"You know, Sheik, you remind me an awful lot of someone I once knew," he said. Sheik looked up at him, wondering who this someone was.

"I liked her a lot," he continued, "Maybe I even loved her."

"What happened to her?" she asked, wondering about the rival she had never known she had.

"Oh... we parted ways. I got to know her pretty well, I just couldn't help it." His eyes turned to the now late morning sky, now lost in reminiscence.

"She was playful, unpredictable," he said, turning to her. "Beautiful, too. She had eyes like jewels, and long hair that shined like the sun."

"Oh," Sheik whispered. She had another thought now; Midna. Could it be that this girl he was describing was the Twilight Princess? The girl he described sounded like her; Midna had long fiery orange hair and eyes like rubies. So now she had two rivals, Ilia and Midna. And if she couldn't compete with Ilia, how could she compete with Twilight Princess?

Her heart sank as Link continued. "She was playful, unpredictable, and caring. Just like you," he said, looking down at the girl in his arms, his hands playing with her right one.

Sheik turned away. "I-I know you think I'm Midna, but I'm not-"

"Midna? What's that gotta do with Midna?" he asked, confused.

"That girl..." she said, her large blue eyes widening in confusion. Link laughed once he registered her meaning.

"I wasn't talking about Midna, silly," he said, chuckling. "I'm talking about you... Zel." He leaned forward, clamping the cowl between his teeth while his hands pulled the bandage-like cap that kept her hair in place from her head. Zelda/Sheik's hair tumbled down from where it had been tied up, gleaming in the sunlight. He threw cap aside, his other arm wrapping around her waist. Link yanked the cowl off her face, tossing it away as his lips claimed hers. Zelda gasped, her eyes widening.

"Can't hide from me, Zel," he murmered against her lips.

"Link.." she gasped. "How'd... how'd..."

"How'd I know?" Link said as he pulled back. "Well, at first I had no idea who you were... but then there were clues. I noticed that your hair color was the same..." he smiled as he brushed a strand of her hair back," and you were the same size. And then I began talking to you. You reminded me more and more... and then finally I began wondering whether you really _were_ who you said you were."

"Of course," he continued, "I couldn't be sure. I followed you one day." Zelda twisted around to look at him indignantly. He laughed lightly, stroking her hair. "I watched you, watched when you encountered a few bulbins."

"So?" she asked.

"Silly... the attack you used, I've only seen one person ever do it. You. It's sort of your signature move, if you know what I mean," Link said. "And then this morning... when I saw you, your eyes... they were the same color as I remembered. And then this." He took her right hand, moving it so that the golden Triforce mark glimmered slightly in the sunlight. "This made me sure of it. It was either you came back to me disguised as a Sheikah, or it was Ganondorf who came back. But of course, you're too pretty to be him." He smirked impishly. Zelda rolled her eyes.

"It's hard to believe someone so thick-headed as you could figure it out," she said sarcasticlly. Link's mouth formed a perfect O of surprise.

"Me? Thick-headed? _Never_!" He laughed as Zelda slapped him lightly. "Sheesh, Zel, you're so dramatic." He closed his eyes, nuzzling her gently. "But I like that."

Zelda felt her lips curve up in a smile as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"By the way, Zel," Link said, taking her hand. "How's Auru gonna react when he realizes that your disguise failed?"

"It only failed for you, Link," she said, her fingers wrapping around his. "The others aren't as perceptive."

"That is praise indeed," Link said, smirking. "I'm perceptive compared to them. That's not saying much."

"Well... what do you want me to say?"

"Say... I love you," he whispered as he hugged her closer to him.

"Love you."

Link made an impatient noise. "You can't even say that without finding a loophole!"

"Fine... I love you," she said, consenting to his wishes.

"Love you too."

**Well, there you have it. My epic fail attempt of writing a oneshot for a contest. Well, Lady of Hyrule, what do you think? As for the rest of you reading this... whaddaya say about this? **


End file.
